Boiler-flue plug.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.Y

WILFRED G. COGSWELL, OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- FIFTHS TO PAUL I. WELLS AND ALBERT W. SPRAGUE, OF HAMMOND,

INDIANA.

BOILER-FLUE PLUG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,387, dated November 12, 1901. Application tiled February 13, Serial No. 47,116. (No 11104101.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILFRED G. CoesWELL, a citizen of the United States of America," and a resident of the county of Cook, in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Flne Repairs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to repairs for boileriiues; and the object thereof is to provide a 1o sufficient and quickly-applied means by which leaks in the iiues of boilers may be stopped without requiring a long shut-down of engine or plant until such time as permanent repairs conveniently can be made. With few exceptions the leaks in steam-boilers in and in connectionwith the flues occurj ust Within the line of the boiler-head through the material of the flue or under the bead where the end of the liue is turned over and down upon the head. In zo the former case it usually arises from too great expansion of the flue, which causes the same to be weakened, and in the latter case by insuiiicient expansion of the iiues or imperfect beadings or by subsequent expansion and z 5 contraction of the boiler itself in service. In either case the location of the leak is within a very limited area, which is comprehended between the edge of the bead and a short space lfrom the end of the flue. l p

My invention provides means by which a plug is inserted and made steam-tight Within the flue at a distance beyond any probable rupture of the flue, and a cap having packed or gasketed edges is placed over the end of 3 5 the flue, so as to rest against the boiler-head, the Whole being operated and secured together by proper adjustments and attachments.

My invention is hereinafter fully described with reference to the drawings, in whichof my device in position ready for application. Fig. 2 is a similar view after the application is made. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4.

Referring further to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote like parts throughout, A represents a detached portion of the boiler-Hue, A a portion of the boilerhead, and a the bead of `the flue bearing on 5o the head.

is slightly greater than the external diame- Figure l represents a longitudinal sectionV B is a stem or rod threaded at b and b.

`A stationary head or nut C is secured to the end of the stem B, so as to support the Washer D, which is slightly smaller than the diameter 'of the flue and which turns freely on the 55 stem. An elastic and somewhatexpansible packing-plug E, which may be of rubber or, in common with the other packings hereinafter described, may be of asbestos or some similar material, of such external diameter 6o.

as to fit snugly within the fine, surrounds the Screwed in the forni of a truncated cone whose sides have the same inclination as the sides of the opening e and whose mean diameter is slightly 7o larger than the largest diameter of the opening e. ,s A metallic thimble e', having slots e", forms a lining for the opening e and provides a bearing for the expander B', upon which it will move readily and with less friction than if its bearing were directly on the material of the packing-plug.

F is a cap having an external iiange f and an internal iangef',whose internal diameter 8o ter of the iiue-bead. The space between the iianges is filled with a packing f. The rod or stem B passes cent-rally through the cap F, and to insure against the escape of water or steam a stuffing-box' in the form shown, com- 85 prising the follower Gr'and the packing g, or any other desired pattern is provided. A nut H is screwed on the threaded portion b' of the stem, and washers 7i may be interposed between the same and the follower G of the 9o stuffing-box. The stem B at the end external to the iiue terminates in the head I with the transverse opening fr', into which a tool may be inserted for turning the stem to screw the expander-plug into the expansible plug surrounding it.

The operation of my device is as follows: When a leak is discovered, it may be closed by inserting the packing-plug within the Iiue,

the expanderB being withdrawn from the roo plug by the right-handed motion of the stem until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 1. A left-handed motion of the stern B, which may be made with great force by a wrench applied to the head I, forces the expander B into the packing-plug until it takes the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the latter becomes steam and Water tight and forms in connection with the adjacent portions of the device a secure anchorage for the stem for the subsequent operation. The cap F isthen slid down on the stem until the edges of the packing f rest upon the boiler-head and surround the flue-bead. The nut H, with the interposed washers 71 is then screwed down upon the follower G, forcing the cap F and its iange-inclosed packing into close annular contact with the boiler-head, so as to make a steam and water tight joint for the I'lue end. When the apparatus is thus secured, further leaking beyond the cap-inclosed space is prevented, and the boiler may be retained in service until such time as permanent'repairs can be conveniently and economically made.

other similar emergencies mayv arise.

Having thus described my device, I'claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, the following:

1. In a boiler-Hue repair, a Hue-cap anchorexpansible plug mounted on the stem and an expander screw-threaded to said stem, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a boiler-Hue repair, a fine-cap anchorage comprising a supporting-stem, an elastic opening mounted on the stem, and a truncated cone-shaped expander screw-threaded to the said stem and adapted to be forced into the opening in the plug, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a boiler-tine repair having an anchorage adapted to be secured to the interior of the iiue and a stem secured thereto, a cap adapted to rest against the boiler-head so as to cover and surround the end of the iue, and means for forcing said cap against the boiler-head, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a boiler-flue repair, an expansible anchorage adapted to it the interior of the iiue, means for expanding said anchorage, a cap adapted to rest against the boiler-head so as .opening revolubly mounted on said stem, an

expander with sloping sides on said stem, the said stem and expander beingrespectively externally and internally threaded, a cap for the flue provided with a stuffing-box through Which the stem passes, means forlturning the stem to screw the expander into the plug, and a nut on the stem to set the cap against the boiler-head, substantially as shown and described. The apparatus may then be laid aside until y 7. In a boiler-flue repair, an cxpansible an- Echorage seatable in the flue, a stern attached thereto, a cap adapted to inclose the end of :.the ue, and means on the stem for securing the cap to the anchorage and against the fboiler-head,.substantially as set forth.

age comprising a supporting-stem, an elastic 8. In a boiler-flue repair, an expansible anchorage seatable in the flue, a cap adapted `to inclose the end ofthe iiue so that its edges rest against the boiler-head, and means for securing the cap to the anchorage when seated 4in the iiue, substantially as set forth. expansible plug with truncated cone-shaped 9. In a boiler-Hue repair, an elastic plug Ewith cone-shaped opening, a screw-threaded -stem passing therethrough and provided with a su pporting-head, a cone-shaped expander screwed on said stem, an external cap through vwhich the stem passes whose edges are adapted to surround the Hue and seat lon the boilerhead, and means on said stem for securing said cap to the anchorage and against the boiler-head, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 9th day of February, 1901.

WILFRED G. COGSWELL. Witnesses:

C. K. CHAMBERLAIN, A. S. PHILLIPS. 

